Mothers' behaviour relating to child maltreatment, their perceptions of such behaviour and its correlates to parents' characteristics and family background were investigated. Women with at least one child under 18 years were targeted and given an interview questionnaire. A high proportion of mothers reported maltreatment behaviour that constituted emotional [‎69.0%]‎ and physical [‎57.1%]‎ abuse as well as neglecting the child's safety [‎43.8%]‎, education [‎46.1%]‎ and medical care [‎53.3%]‎. Mothers tended to perceive neglectful behaviour rather than ...